Visitors from England, Morocco and elsewhere said their World Cup trips left them with a friendlier view of the U.S. than headlines and social media had led them to expect.
Thousands of fan posts and interviews described Americans as notably hospitable, from Uber drivers and hotel staff to strangers inviting tourists to homes, bars and park gatherings.
Several travelers said they arrived expecting a politically fractured or unsafe country, shaped partly by coverage of Trump-era tensions, ICE videos and polarized news reports.
On the ground, they instead found many locals more curious than confrontational, though some Americans did not know the U.S. was hosting the World Cup and some foreign fans were blocked by travel restrictions.
The accounts suggest the tournament is giving some overseas visitors a more personal, less divisive picture of the U.S. than its global image.